February 23, 2017

Bill to label nuclear energy as renewable stalls

A bill aimed at classifying nuclear power as a renewable energy source in New Mexico stalled Thursday afternoon in committee on a tie vote.

House Bill 406, sponsored by Rep. Cathrynn Brown, R-Carlsbad, would have amended the state’s Renewable Energy Act, which requires energy companies provide a certain amount of electricity from renewable sources.

Brown told the House Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Committee she didn’t know of any definite plans to bring nuclear power plants to the state, but that she wanted to broaden the options for a “baseload power” to replace coal or gas. Currently, Brown argued, wind and solar energy can only serve as “intermittent” power.

“Unless we can get the wind to blow 24 hours a day and the sun to shine day and night, we’re still going to have those intermittent sources,” Brown said.

Rep. David Gallegos, R-Eunice, spoke in favor of the bill, arguing that New Mexico already has a supply of uranium and could be cost effective if a nuclear power plant were to open in the state.

“This would give us another avenue to use something that is already here,” Gallegos said.

Gallegos acknowledged uranium mining’s past in the state, but said mining practices have changed in the decades since uranium was mined in New Mexico.

Rep. Joanne Ferrary, D-Las Cruces, said she supports looking for new options for power, but is concerned about possibly abandoning energy currently identified as renewable.

“I think it is really dangerous because we lose that motivation to keep using more of solar and geothermal [energy],” Ferrary said, later mentioning wind energy.

Committee Chair Matthew McQueen, D-Galisteo, said he was concerned that the bill might affect the state’s renewable portfolio standard, which requires a certain amount of energy come renewable resources and came up frequently during the meeting.

Brown argued that many consumers care less about renewable energy and more about cost and availability.

“All they care about is when they need light in their house it’s there when they need it,” Brown said. “They wouldn’t get much out of the discussion today.”

The party line, tie vote essentially ensured the bill will not move forward.

Related

Comments

More About

A judge ruled that ten of Gov. Susana Martinez vetoes from this year’s legislative session were invalid–and ordered that the bills become law. Earlier this year, the Legislature sued the governor, arguing she failed to follow the state constitution by not providing an explanation of her vetoes.

A few weeks ago, we reported on a proposal by Augustin Plains Ranch, LLC to build a pipeline and pump 54,000 acre-feet of water each year from the aquifer to the Albuquerque area. The 37 wells would all be in Catron County near the town of Datil.

A judge ruled that ten of Gov. Susana Martinez vetoes from this year’s legislative session were invalid–and ordered that the bills become law. Earlier this year, the Legislature sued the governor, arguing she failed to follow the state constitution by not providing an explanation of her vetoes.

Gov. Susana Martinez vetoed a bill to create a speciality chile license plate—but chile lovers will still be able to get a license plate featuring chile without the extra cost of a specialty plate. The new black license plate says in yellow lettering “Chile capital of the world” and has yellow license plate numbers.

A complex tax overhaul bill failed to clear its committee, and that’s going to further complicate the special session in which legislators are supposed to address the budget in New Mexico. Rep. Jason Harper, R-Rio Rancho, presented his 430-page tax overhaul bill Thursday morning.

A Democratic-majority House committee voted along party lines Thursday afternoon to remove pre-Roe v. Wade language in state statute that criminalizes abortion practices. The original state law, passed in New Mexico in 1968, makes “criminal abortion” subject to a fourth-degree felony.